Australian Footie Kicks Into Shanghai

The latest sport vying for China's attention: Australian Rules Football.

And, according to at least one Chinese government official, pigskin from Down Under may catch on faster than the American version.

The biggest prize in the sports world may be to nudge the world’s largest population away from the ping pong tables and badminton nets. All the major sports are making a push, encouraged in no small part by the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games.

WSJ/James T. Areddy

The first Australian Football League match in China was held Sunday at Shanghai’s Jiangwan Stadium.

For much of the Kaspersky Cup 2010 AFL Shanghai Showdown, which began with a “bounceoff” in the center and ran to 20-minute quarters, Brisbane took charge, pulling to 31 points ahead near the end. But a few choice words from Melbourne Coach Dean Bailey seemed to rile up his side in the late going.

"Hopefully it becomes a regular event and more people realize we play the greatest game in the world,” Mr. Bailey said after the match.

Already, 600 primary students at five schools in Shanghai’s Yangpu district are being coached in Australian rules football. Many of them took to the grassy field at historic Jiangwan Stadium for a halftime demonstration Sunday.

Chen Wei, chief of the Yangpu District Sports Bureau, said in an interview he conceived of the idea of bringing the sport to Shanghai after a visit to Australia two years ago. He noted he also looked at National Football League play in the U.S. and was less impressed.

“I think the Australian game is easier to introduce. American football requires so much equipment. Australian doesn’t need it,” Mr. Chen said.